Ratchet composite thin film for low-temperature self-propelled Leidenfrost droplet.

The droplet control, especially for the self-propelled Leidenfrost droplet, has attracted many researchers' attention in applied and fundamental fields. In this paper, the ratchet thin film was fabricated by magnetron sputtering and hybrid ion beams deposition. The micro- and nanoscale structure of the film was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope. This study reports an interesting phenomenon that the self-propelled Leidenfrost water droplet was initiated at low temperature. The Leidenfrost point of droplets was controlled by the surface wettability and parameters of the asymmetric ratchet substrate. This novel self-propelled interfacial material and preparation technology can be expanded to the manufacture process and constructed a temperature-dependent tubule for microfluidic systems.